What is Global Warming?
-Global warming is an increase in the average global temperature. It is a change in temperature and thus a change in the climate because climate is different than temperature in the sense that climate refers to the overall pattern in weather. (Richmond, E.) http://chriscolose.files.wordpress.com/2008/02/670px-instrumental_temperature_record.png What is Biodiversity?
-Biodiversity is the variability among all living organisms on the earth, including the variability within and between species and within and between ecosystems. (Norton, B.) What areas does it affect and how?
- Boreal Forest:
Circles the Northern Pole in Canada and Eurasia - Used by nearly half of the birds in North America (The Boreal Forest Biome)
85% of the forest could be killed by a 4 degree Celsius increase (Adam, D. 2009)
Even if the climate change is tiny trees will still be destroyed (Adam, D. 2009)
2 degree Celsius increase, will destroy 20-40% of Amazon Rain Forest in 100 years (Adam, D. 2009)
3 degree Celsius increase, will destroy 75% of Amazon Rain Forest in 100 years (Adam, D. 2009)
As the Earth gets warmer, there is a change in the amount of rainfall. Some of the plants in the Amazon require certain amounts of rainfall. When they don't get that amount of rain, they can suffer. This causes animals who may eat the plants to suffer as well creating a less diverse Amazon Rain Forest
Warmer oceans will destroy reefs within 50 year (Great Barrier Reef to be decimated by 2050 - 23 February 2004)
If coral dies, fish living in that habitat will die because there is no longer a place for them to live creating a less diverse reef (Great Barrier Reef to be decimated by 2050 - 23 February 2004)
In terms of being in danger the area is rated as moderate on a scale of low to high (Great Barrier Reef to be decimated by 2050 - 23 February 2004)
- Arctic:
Area encompassing a circle around the Northern Pole of the Earth (Porter, S. 2005, February 15.)
Water temperatures in the Arctic will rise as high as 18 degrees Fahrenheit by 2100 (Porter, S. 2005, February 15.)
Thawing of ice puts a higher level of stress on plant and animal populations (Porter, S. 2005, February 15.)
Melting ice affects population of marine mammals, caribou, polar bears and people that depend on this area (Porter, S. 2005, February 15.)
If the ice melts too much, this could cause many of the animals to disappear forever.
Ice forms a natural barrier to high waves (Porter, S. 2005, February 15.)
loss of ice will cause more erosion and sedimentation from storm surge (Porter, S. 2005, February 15.)
Big Picture
-The areas listed above are all very bio diverse, with the exception of the Arctic
-Global Warming is causing a change in the global climate, thus causing many species to undergo change
-Even slight changes will have major consequences in ecosystems throughout the world
What is being done to help?
-Leaders of the world are trying to reduce the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere by large manufacturing companies (CBBC Newsround)
-People are setting aside certain areas to stay as they are and not be touched (Seven steps to save biodiversity)
-Several countries throughout the world are working together to develop a global plan, which includes a response to possible climate changes (Report 4: What is Being Done?)
Bibliography
Adam, D. (2009, March 11). Amazon could shrink by 85% due to climate change, scientists say. Retrieved October 22, 2009, from www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2009/mar/11/amazon-global-warming-trees
CBBC Newsround | GLOBAL WARMING | What's being done about it?. (n.d.). Retrieved October 29, 2009, from http://news.bbc.co.uk/cbbcnews
Dictionary.com | Find the Meanings and Definitions of Words at Dictionary.com. (n.d.). Retrieved October 27, 2009, from http://www.dictionary.com
Frelich, Lee E., and Peter B. Reich "Forest, Boreal." Biology. Ed. Richard Robinson. Vol. 2. New York: Macmillan Reference USA, 2002. 97-99. Global Reference on the Environment, Energy, and Natural Resources. Gale. Pace Academy. 27 Oct. 2009
Great Barrier Reef to be decimated by 2050 - 23 February 2004 - New Scientist. (2004, February 23). Retrieved October 27, 2009, from http://newscientist.com/article/dn4707
Pearce, Fred.†"Cities will swelter on summer nights."†New Scientist†182.2452†(June 19, 2004)†15(1).†Global Reference on the Environment, Energy, and Natural Resources.†Gale.†Pace Academy.†27 Oct. 2009†
<http://find.galegroup.com/grnr/start.do?prodId=GRNR>.
-Global warming is an increase in the average global temperature. It is a change in temperature and thus a change in the climate because climate is different than temperature in the sense that climate refers to the overall pattern in weather. (Richmond, E.)
http://chriscolose.files.wordpress.com/2008/02/670px-instrumental_temperature_record.png
What is Biodiversity?
-Biodiversity is the variability among all living organisms on the earth, including the variability within and between species and within and between ecosystems. (Norton, B.)
What areas does it affect and how?
- Boreal Forest:
- Amazon Rain Forest:
- Great Barrier Reef:
- Off the coast of Australia
- http://people.hws.edu/Mitchell/oz/images/MapGBR.gif
- Regular temperature= 17.5 degree Celsius (Great Barrier Reef to be decimated by 2050 - 23 February 2004)
- Increase of 2 degree Celsius will destroy the reefs (Great Barrier Reef to be decimated by 2050 - 23 February 2004)
- Warmer waters causes coral to bleach
- http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/images/aster/coral-bleached1-browse.jpg
- Warmer oceans will destroy reefs within 50 year (Great Barrier Reef to be decimated by 2050 - 23 February 2004)
- If coral dies, fish living in that habitat will die because there is no longer a place for them to live creating a less diverse reef (Great Barrier Reef to be decimated by 2050 - 23 February 2004)
- In terms of being in danger the area is rated as moderate on a scale of low to high (Great Barrier Reef to be decimated by 2050 - 23 February 2004)
- Arctic:Big Picture
-The areas listed above are all very bio diverse, with the exception of the Arctic
-Global Warming is causing a change in the global climate, thus causing many species to undergo change
-Even slight changes will have major consequences in ecosystems throughout the world
What is being done to help?
-Leaders of the world are trying to reduce the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere by large manufacturing companies (CBBC Newsround)
-People are setting aside certain areas to stay as they are and not be touched (Seven steps to save biodiversity)
-Several countries throughout the world are working together to develop a global plan, which includes a response to possible climate changes (Report 4: What is Being Done?)
Bibliography
Adam, D. (2009, March 11). Amazon could shrink by 85% due to climate change, scientists say. Retrieved October 22, 2009, from www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2009/mar/11/amazon-global-warming-trees
CBBC Newsround | GLOBAL WARMING | What's being done about it?. (n.d.). Retrieved October 29, 2009, from http://news.bbc.co.uk/cbbcnews
Chevron - Climate Change . (n.d.). Retrieved October 22, 2009, from http://www.chevron.com/globalissues/climatechange/?utm_campaign=Yahoo!Paid&utm_campaign=Yahoo!Paid&utm_med
Dictionary.com | Find the Meanings and Definitions of Words at Dictionary.com. (n.d.). Retrieved October 27, 2009, from http://www.dictionary.com
Frelich, Lee E., and Peter B. Reich "Forest, Boreal." Biology. Ed. Richard Robinson. Vol. 2. New York: Macmillan Reference USA, 2002. 97-99. Global Reference on the Environment, Energy, and Natural Resources. Gale. Pace Academy. 27 Oct. 2009
Great Barrier Reef to be decimated by 2050 - 23 February 2004 - New Scientist. (2004, February 23). Retrieved October 27, 2009, from http://newscientist.com/article/dn4707
Norton, B. (n.d.). GREENR Logout. Retrieved October 22, 2009, from http://find.galegroup.com/grnr/retrieve.do?contentSet=EBKS&docType=EBKS&sort=DateDescend&tabID=T001&searchId=R1&docId=CX3434900091&prodId=GRNR¤tPosition=3&userGroupName=atla86097&resultListType=RESULT_LIST&sgHitCountType=None&qrySerId=Locale(en%2CUS%2C)%3AFQE%3D(PI%2CNone%2C5)G2011%24&inPS=true&searchType=BasicSearchForm&docId=CX3434900091&docType=EBKS&c=FT
<http://find.galegroup.com/grnr/start.do?prodId=GRNR>.
Pearce, Fred.†"Cities will swelter on summer nights."†New Scientist†182.2452†(June 19, 2004)†15(1).†Global Reference on the Environment, Energy, and Natural Resources.†Gale.†Pace Academy.†27 Oct. 2009†
<http://find.galegroup.com/grnr/start.do?prodId=GRNR>.
Porter, S. (2005, February 15). Climate Change and Arctic Impacts. Retrieved October 22, 2009, from http://www.ciel.org/Climate/Climate_Arctic.html
Report 4: What is Being Done?. (n.d.). Retrieved October 29, 2009, from http://www.thehcf.org/emaila4
Richmond, E. (n.d.). GREENR Logout. Retrieved October 27, 2009, from http://find.galegroup.com/grnr/retrieve.do?contentSet=EBKS&sort=Relevance&tabID=T001&searchId=R2&docId=CX3400500162&prodId=GRNR¤tPosition=2&userGroupName=atla86097&resultListType=RESULT_LIST&sgHitCountType=None&qrySerId=Locale(en%2C%2C)%3AFQE%3D(KE%2CNone%2C14)global+warming%24&inPS=true&searchType=&docId=CX3400500162&docType=EBKS
Seven steps to save biodiversity - Countdown 2010. (n.d.). Retrieved October 29, 2009, from http://www.countdown2010.net/biodiversity/seven-steps-to-save-biodiversity
The Boreal Forest Biome. (n.d.). Retrieved October 27, 2009, from http://www.marietta.edu/~biol/biomes/boreal.htm